<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>First off, Madgirl2003, when you’re back, give me a PM so that I know you’re back and we can work out your characters’ IC reason for being missing, and plan the makeup lessons. Class, you were told to bring the birds Hooded and off the Leads and meet outside the aviary. THIS THREAD PRIVATE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PROFESSIONAL HAWKING</td></tr></table> Turrush adjusted the back at his side, and straitened Aven’s hood gently before turning to his assembled class. "Welcome class, to your first real training test. This is not just a test because I’ll be grading your performance. This is a test because it might result in the loss of your birds if your haven’t properly prepared." He glanced over the class, looking for any nervousness in his students. They should be feeling some, even with all his experience Turrush himself was always nervous when a took a green bird to wing without restraints for the first time. "First, I’d like to see you all demonstrate ‘stay’ and ‘come’ . We’ll get into some more advanced things in just a few moments. Anyways, line up and show off your ‘stay’ and ‘come’ training. At least 20 feet between you and your bird. Preferably more."
Salme was feeling confident today for some strange reason. She had come to class with her bag over one shoulder and Inarik balanced atop her head with her hood on. Salme still found it strange for Inarik to like such a perch,but she could not complain, besides it had greatly improved her posture. She laughed inwardly at this thought, she sounded just like her parents. Salme looked around the class. It seemed like she and Inarik would be going first. It did not matter to Salme though in her current state of mind. She walked up to the line and tapped the ground for Inarik to come down. She hopped blindly down and stood for a second. Salme removed the hood. She did not know if she was supposed to, but how could the bird do the commends if it could not see? "Tsui." She said to the bird, whos face lit up with recognition of the command. Salme spun on her heel and walked about twenty five feet away and turned back to look at Inarik. "Kyna." She said loud enough for the bird to hear. Imediately Inarik flew up over to her and landed perfectly on Salme's head. She had given up trying to teach the bird to fly to her arm. Besides, this way her arms never hurt. She stepped back from the demonstration area for someone elce to try. "Good Job Inarik." Salme said, as she stroked her bird.
Thi was a bit nervous about removing Panik from the lead. But, she knew Panik didn't want to leave. Over the past month, Thi and Panik had grown so very close. Thi removed Panik's hood. Placing Panik on the ground and turning to walk away, Panik tilted her head and began to preen her feathers. <span style='color:blue'>Tsui, Panik</span> Panik looked up at the familar command. A look in her eyes seemed to say: I know, I know. Let's get this over with. Walking about 27feet away. That was the peferred distance between them. Thi turned. Panik stopped preening her feathers and looked directly at Thi. Something passed between them bacause the moment Thi called <span style='color:blue'>KYNA!</span> and raised her arm, Panik was off like a shooting rocket. Panik landed softly on Thi's arm before sidestepping up to her shoulder and nibbling gently on Thi's ear.
Nafel was nervous today, as she almost always was with tests. Even though she knew in her head that there wasn't anything that she should really be afraid of (since she and Asarian had trained long and hard), she couldn't quite convince the butterflies in her stomach of that same fact. Asarian was, at the moment, perched on Nafel's arm, in her hood. Nafel looked down at the bird's feet, still surprised not to find the familiar lead. Asarian seemed to be enjoying her newfound freedom from the leash, but she wasn't quite so happy about the hood. She didn't seem to like the feeling of the leather around her neck, for understandable reasons. The first two pairs put on flawless preformances, the owners seeming confident and the birds seeming competent. Nafel envied their seeming outer cool, regardless of how they actually felt. It seemed to be her turn, and Nafel took a deep breath. She used one of the meditation exercises she had learned in her Elemental Magic class, used to calm the mind and lower the heart rate. It was a useful trick, and she was glad of it now. Nafel placed her bird on the ground, removing the hood. Asarian's pupils pinned for a moment, adjusting to the light, before settling as the bird looked at Nafel. She turned her head as if to ask why they were doing this silly exercise for the five billionth time, and why the teacher seemed so very interested. Nafel laughed slightly at the hawk's expression, before pocketing the hood and measuring out 25 paces between herself and Asarian. She took another deep breath, before giving the first command. <span style='color:#00cccc'>"Tsui."</span> Asarian did so, seeming slightly confused as to why they were bothering with this. Nafel counted off twenty seconds in her head before giving the next command. This one was given with more confidence, now that the first half had gone well. <span style='color:#00cccc'>"Asarian, Kyna."</span> The bird obediently did so, landing on Nafel's outstretched arm. Nafel smiled in relief, cooing to the bird before returning to the field. Her knees were shaky, but she was elated.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Really sorry for the wait, I’ll try not to let it happen again.</td></tr></table> It felt like it had been quit a while since the last lesson with her hawk. Over the week she had put lots of time into the ‘back’ command. After her display of having a hard time last class she really wanted to get control with it and make Antirian more used to the sound of the whistle and it had seemed that all their hard work had paid off. For they had perfect the technique over time and Eka was getting really confident with working with Antirian, and living with the hawk was a joy in her life that had been missing since her sister died. Even with all the training she had done to bring them both up to snuff she was still a little nervous to be doing this again in front of the teacher and fellow students. But it was better then the first few times and at least this time she wasn’t asleep standing. So after she watched the other students go up and perform their skills. It seemed that everyone was improving in one way or another. Which made sense, they probably all practiced when they hand time. She finally stepped up close the 25 feet mark line not wanting to much future since she wanted to have a flawless run. She place Antirian on the ground then walked back the 25 feet, waited a few moments then called her hawk to her. She landed on her outstretched arm. She then congratulated her bird and went back to stand with the rest of the class. So far so good.
